Palestinian legislators are ‘dragged out’ of Knesset as Pence promises embassy will move in 2019

As Vice President Mike Pence began his speech to the Israeli Knesset this morning, Palestinian lawmakers protested the Trump administration’s recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, waving posters that said, “Jerusalem is the capital of Palestine.” They were forcibly removed from the chamber– reportedly all 13 members of the Joint List– as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stood to cheer their removal.

Head of the Joint List Aymen Odeh said on social media the action was a “legitimate protest, against the Trump-Netanyahu regime’s exaltation of racism and hatred, who speak of peace solely as lip service.”

Protesting Arab Knesset members wave signs before being removed by security during Pence's speech in Israel's Parliament. pic.twitter.com/xForw9XQeb

Pence went on to speak to an all-Jewish legislature and vowed that the Trump administration will move the embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem by the end of 2019. The move is not a blow to peace, Pence said. “We have chosen fact over fiction, and fact is the only basis of a lasting peace,” he said. The decision does not affect “final status issues” in peace negotiations, or affect the ultimate boundaries of the capital, not does it preclude the creation of a Palestinian state, Pence said; and he called on Palestinians to return to the bargaining table.

“If both sides agree, the United States will support a two state solution,” Pence said. Netanyahu did not applaud this statement, though he continually applauded other statements by the vice president.

Palestinians hold posters bearing portraits of US Vice President Mike Pence during a protest at the Manger Square in the town of Bethlehem in the occupied West Bank, on January 21, 2018. (Photo by Wisam Hashlamoun/ APA Images)

In a religiously-themed speech aligning the United States closely with the Zionist project of bringing Jews to a national home in Israel, Pence drew standing ovations for his fiery comments about Iran. He seemed to threaten regime change when he offered a message from the American people to the “people of Iran: we are your friends, and the day is coming when you will free from the evil regime that suffocates your dreams and buries your hopes.”

He also said that the Iran nuclear deal is a “disaster” that has allowed Iran to continue to develop nuclear weapons. The U.S. will no longer certify that deal and will soon act to resume sanctions on Iran, unless the deal is “fixed.”

Coupled with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas’s refusal to meet with Pence, and Abbas’s speech to a friendly European Union gathering in Brussels today, Pence’s speech marks a new moment in U.S. middle east policy in which it is openly aligned with Israel in defiance of world opinion. While Pence referenced earlier meetings on his trip with “great” U.S. allies King Abdullah in Jordan and Abdel Fattah al-Sisi in Egypt, King Abdullah told him that Jerusalem must also be the Palestinian capital, and Palestinian leaders do not regard the U.S. as an honest broker for negotiations, ending a 25-year period of peace processing in which they have accepted the U.S. role, even if those negotiations have done nothing to end the occupation or deliver a Palestinian state.

Those goals seemed more distant than ever. Pence made no reference to Israeli settlements in the West Bank and Jerusalem, let alone to the occupation. He referenced the bible and said American presidents going back to Washington and Lincoln had supported Zionist aspirations of Jewish return to Jerusalem. He was applauded by U.S. ambassador David Friedman, who is himself a settler advocate.

For his part Netanyahu gave a speech in which he called Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital “one of the most momentous decisions in the history of Zionism.”

Diana Buttu, a Palestinian lawyer and negotiator, condemned the tone and substance of Pence’s appearance in comments distributed by the Institute for Middle East Understanding:

“Pence is a dangerous religious fanatic who supports Israel unconditionally because of his Christian Zionist ideology. His visit to Israel is effectively a victory lap for promoting international disorder and religious extremism. Moreover, his scheduled visit to holy sites in occupied Palestinian East Jerusalem is a major provocation, particularly so soon after Trump recognized Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.

“In the wake of Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem as part of Israel, in violation of international law and seven decades of official US policy, and after Israel killed more than 16 Palestinians in protests that ensued, Pence is sending Israel the message that it will be rewarded for its decades of illegal behavior.”

In Haaretz, Sam Bahour writes that Pence has confirmed that the U.S. is out of the peace process.

He … repeated, mantra-like, the claim that the U.S. decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital was justified as “fact”. The word “Palestinian” was barely mentioned, and “Palestine” – not at all.

Pence also said the U.S. would support a two-state solution, but only if both sides support it – echoing Trump’s comments at his Jerusalem announcement. The meaning? The U.S. is abandoning the two-state solution. A sovereign Palestinian state is no longer a necessary and critical aim of U.S. foreign policy.

Donald Trump, it appears, will do nothing to stop or rebuke Israel’s accelerated settlement building…

“Mike Pence in Israel: Finnish journalist ‘faces strip-search ahead of US Vice President event due to Palestinian heritage.'”

“The woman refused the demand and was not permitted to cover the event.”
Andrew Buncombe New York = 22 January 2018 – The Independent

EXCERPT:
“A press organisation in Israel has accused the authorities of ‘ethnic profiling’ after a female Finnish journalist whose father is Palestinian, was told she had to undergo a strip search if she wanted to cover an event that was part of the visit of US Vice President Mike Pence.

“The Foreign Press Association (FPA) in Israel said the journalist from Finland’s state broadcaster, who is accredited by the government press office, was taken behind a curtain at Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office, where she said she was questioned, patted down, and then asked to remove her bra for an inspection. She reportedly refused to do and was prevented from covering the event.

“’Unfortunately, this was just the latest instance of journalists being needlessly hassled by Israeli security in what we believe is clear ethnic profiling,’ the FPA said in a statement. ‘The repugnant practice of strip searching journalists puts Israel in a category all of its own and is a mark of shame for a country that boasts of its democratic credentials.’

“The organisation [FPA], who represents around 400 journalists working for international media in Israel and the Palestinian territories, said it had repeatedly expressed its understanding of ‘Israel’s unique security needs.’

“Mr Ali Abunimah, a Palestinian American journalist, predicts Israel will be treated like a ‘pariah state’ in 2018.

“But given all of the technology and intelligence at Israel’s fingertips, we [FPA] fail to see any good reason for the continued humiliation of professional accredited journalists and can only conclude that this only-in-Israel practice is aimed at making people feel unwelcome and keeping them away,” it added.”

“Pence’s speech marks a new moment in U.S. middle east policy in which it is openly aligned with Israel in defiance of world opinion”

How is this a new moment? Seems to me to be more of the same. Yes a scab has been picked (Jerusalem) but it’s largely symbolic. And what are Europeans doing about this, exactly? Their approach seems to be to pat the Palestinians on the head and say we’re with you and then backstab them with arms deals with Saudi Arabia. I also noticed Theresa May, at a gala dinner with Bibi, “proudly” recalling Britain’s vital role in creating Israel. It’s amazing the things the Brits are proud of.

the most shameful and embarrassing news i’ve watched (so far) today – pence in the knesset and the arab MK’s being dragged out of the knesset by the rabid guard dogs, but not before they grabbed every placard and destroyed them, to a cheering mob of violent zionist thugs as democracy dies in broad daylight, made so much easier now with a feculant orange blimp in the white house and his holy roller pence walking on water in the knesset.

Hi, I’m an expert on the Knesset and I was in the room during this incident. You have several points wrong here. I’d be happy to explain them to you.

3:27 PM – Jan 22, 2018

Lahav Harkov
@LahavHarkov

Wrong on several points. 1, they are not “THE 13 Israeli-Arab members” – there are others. 2, it is always against the Knesset rules to hold up signs or use props and there are examples spanning decades of ppl being removed bc of it. 3, ushers, not security guards led them out https://twitter.com/mitchellreports/status/955423549988229120 …
3:26 PM – Jan 22, 2018

Seth Frantzman
@sfrantzman

Replying to @mitchellreports

Where did you get the number 13? The 13 members of the Joint List are not all Arab. Dov Khenin is Jewish. Isn’t he still in the Knesset and a member of the Joint List? #think
4:40 PM – Jan 22, 2018

Omri Ceren @omriceren

Oh for crying out loud Andrea. A member of the congressional black caucus was removed from the House floor just a few years ago just for a dress code violation, let alone for disrupting a session, which is what these clowns were doing.

“Removal of Arab Lawmakers During Pence’s Speech: A Sad Moment for Israeli Democracy”

“The brutal removal of Arab MKs to the applause from the remaining lawmakers symbolizes the removal of 20 percent of the population living here from the circle of citizens.”
Ravit Hecht. Jan 23, 2018 – Haaretz.

EXCERPT:

“The choice is tough – asylum seekers, who are already hiding in attics, will be seen being taken away on deportation flights – but the expulsion from the Knesset plenum of Joint List MKs during U.S. Vice President Mike Pence’s speech on Monday is surely a worthy candidate among the parade of the most repulsive and saddest images ever produced by the Middle East’s sole thriving democracy [sic].

“It’s not only the disproportional assault by the Knesset Guard, as if someone from the Joint List had pulled out a submachine gun rather than a flimsy poster. Or what followed, when a fool like Likud MK Oren Hazan freely curses and defiles the Knesset with utterances like ‘I’ll kick you,’ and ‘If you don’t have money for a flight, I’ll buy you a ticket we’ll throw you out of here’ – which he yelled at MK Jamal Zahalka. It is mainly the smug faces, the sheer enjoyment flooding Benjamin Netanyahu and his clan of right-wing sycophants. It is the smiles of Zeev Elkin, Naftali Bennett and Gilad Erdan. It is the rousing applause in the hall.
What an achievement, what a pleasure: The Knesset is rid of Arabs.”

““If both sides agree, the United States will support a two state solution,” Pence said. Netanyahu did not applaud this statement, though he continually applauded other statements by the vice president.”

netanyahu applauding the creation of a 1SS and with it , the end of the presently constituted ,” Jewish State “, ie Supremacist Colonialist Apartheid undemocratic entity.

Of course our zio troll , nathan does not have the foresight to see this which is why he spends most of his time here accusing others of calling for the end of Israel or as he likes to refer to it , The Jewish State.

better take it up with your leaders Nathan , they are the ones ushering in the end of your beloved , one and only Jewish State.

I sing of war, of holy war, and him,
Pence who freed the Sepulcher of Christ.
Greatly he wrought by force of mind and limb,
and greatly suffered, nobly sacrificed.
Vainly did Hell oppose him, Asia grim
vainly combined with Libya Hell-enticed.
Heaven favored him and guided back, to fight
under his sacred flag, each errant knight.

O Muse, not you upon Helicon
garland your brow with long-since-faded bays,
but you who among heavenly choirs don
your golden crown of deathless stars always:
breathe in my breast celestial fire, shed on
my song your light, and pardon my lays,
embroidering the truth, seem overgrown
at times with pleasures other than your own.

The astonishing moment caused Andrea Mitchell, NBC diplomatic correspondent, to remark on the discrimination of Israeli democracy: “Can you imagine Capitol Police dragging members of the congressional black caucus off the House floor

I can imagine it if members of the Congressional Black Caucus jeered throughout a foreign dignitary’s address to Congress.
Jewish MKs are of course routinely ejected from Knesset by the Speaker when they refuse to abide by rules of order, including this Jewish MK ousted at the behest of an Arab MK when he interrupted her:

People who stand for election invariably want to be elected; it kinda goes with the territory. But what has that to do with Knesset rules prohibiting displaying signs? Is wanting to be elected a PR move? And what have Knesset rules about displaying signs to do with your attempt at making an argument? What sort of signs? “I am deaf, so please install a hearing loop or at least speak up”. Would such a sign fall foul of the rules (you might do us a favour and link to the rules in question)? How about a sign saying “I am being prevented from speaking”?

John O January 23, 2018, 5:00 pm
People who stand for election invariably want to be elected; it kinda goes with the territory. But what has that to do with Knesset rules prohibiting displaying signs? Is wanting to be elected a PR move?

It seems kind of obvious that hophmi meant to write “wanted to beejected ” and not “elected”. The “L” key is close to the “J” key on the keyboard; it’s an easy typo to make.

Rules of
conduct in the
Knesset
Plenum
41. (a) A Member of the Knesset shall comply with the instructions of the
Chairman of the sitting.
(e) A Member of the Knesset shall not exhibit any object in the
Knesset plenum, and shall not make use of an object or caption for
the purpose of expressing his position.

Jewish MKs will also routinely be ejected from Knesset debates by Knesset ushers when they run afoul of these rules and/or refuse to comply with the Chairman’s instructions about how to conduct themselves.

“Mikhael”, let’s not forget to mention that by getting themselves ejected, the Palestinian MKs missed Pence’s speech, with all its possibilities, negotiating points, and willingness to compromise.
Why, they are missing an opportunity!

John O January 24, 2018, 3:23 am
@Mikhael. Thanks for the correction. Mind you, it’s an easy mistake to make when being elected and getting ejected go hand in hand when you’re an MK.

The typo would seem to be hophmi’s, but from context
that seems to be the word he intended to use.
The Knesset can be a raucous place and both Jewish and Arab MKs can often be kicked out of a session when they get rowdy. Oren Hazan, who is an obnoxious loudmouth, has already been kicked out on several occasions over the past few years for his antics. It’s not as if these disciplinary measures are used selectively only against Arab MKs.

Mooser January 23, 2018, 11:00 pm
“Mikhael”, let’s not forget to mention that by getting themselves ejected, the Palestinian MKs missed Pence’s speech, with all its possibilities, negotiating points, and willingness to compromise.

There are no Palestinian Members of Knesset. Palestinians have their own Parliament in Ramallah. All the MKs are citizens of Israel. The MKs who were ejected for displaying signs in clear violation of Knesset rules can watch Pence’s full speech on YouTube if they are really interested.
There they can see where Pence clearly stated that the US is “not taking a position on any final status issues, including the specific boundaries of the Israeli sovereignty in Jerusalem or the resolution of contested borders”. That’s a matter for the Israeli government and the Palestinian Authority government either to agree on or disagree on; but I don’t see how you think opposition party Knesset members who are neither part of the current Israeli government or the government of the Palestinian Authority need to be won over in a compromise by a third party (the United States).

A Finnish journalist in Israel (grown up and raised in Finland, doesn’t even speak Arabic):

@Sophiemcneill

Jerusalem Foreign Press Association says journo of Pal descent was strip searched today at Pence event -“The repugnant practice of strip searching journalists puts Israel in a category all of its own and is a mark of shame for a country that boasts of its democratic credentials”

“A press organisation in Israel has accused the authorities of “ethnic profiling” after a female Finnish journalist whose father is Palestinian, was told she had to undergo a strip search if she wanted to cover an event that was part of the visit of US Vice President Mike Pence.

The Foreign Press Association (FPA) in Israel said the journalist from Finland’s state broadcaster, who is accredited by the government press office, was taken behind a curtain at Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office, where she said she was questioned, patted down, and then asked to remove her bra for an inspection.

She reportedly refused to do and was prevented from covering the event.

Unfortunately, this was just the latest instance of journalists being needlessly hassled by Israeli security in what we believe is clear ethnic profiling,” the FPA said in a statement.

“The repugnant practice of strip searching journalists puts Israel in a category all of its own and is a mark of shame for a country that boasts of its democratic credentials.”

This reminded me of something that happened when I was still living in Israel:

A group of Finnish people wanted to come for a holiday to Israel and at the Tel Aviv airport a friend of mine (born and raised in Finland, with Finnish passport, but a Syrian name – mother Finnish, father Syrian) was taken aside and after hours of hearings sent back to Finland, because “she was not able to explain clearly enough the reason for her visit”. All the other people, with Finnish passports and Finnish names, were let to enter to Israel.

(Obviously this was the time I started to realize, Israel was something more than “the Mizrahim bubble” I had been living in.)

I read somewhere that the Palestinian leadership is about to make it known to U.S. negotiators that for every inch of land illegally seized by Israel since the 1967 war that there would be a reprisal within all NATO member countries and would result in the destruction of any/all forest and parklands?

Do you think that NATO countries be willing to lose the heritage and financial asset of these lands for Israel?

NATO members are unable to defend themselves from such destruction by fire because of the land areas being so vast.

I believe that the threat alone would be sufficient and that there would be no need to actually carry out such a dastardly act. Most importantly, if any fire began with a lightning strike, would simply raise the attention of the Palestinian cause with the paranoia rise within NATO member countries.

NATO member countries view their forests and parklands as sacred ground just as the Palestinians view their historical homeland.

I think that NATO would be at the negotiating table in the morning.

I think that the threat alone would grab worldwide attention and force the average American (Not Politicians) to view the Palestinian issue in a proper light with an easy comparison on how each view their homeland. I think that the threat alone would have the average voter demanding pre-1967 borders and refusal to support Israel wars any further. Israel would have a huge public relations issue on the table as with the possibility of smoke rising high into the skies and Americans see the Israeli war arriving on their doorstep.

I agree that the average American would not be too impressed, but a threat such as this would succinctly put the ball directly into the American mainstream. If given the choice, I believe that the American public will never willingly give up their “Sacred Ground” (forests/parklands) for the sake of some biblical dream of Israel. I think the public would demand immediate negotiations with updates on a daily basis. Otherwise, the cost would be to great to have ever imagined. Truth is, the Americans would be unable to defend themselves from such a threat just as the Middle East is unable to defend themselves from Israeli aggression. Americans would be just as defenseless as the Palestinian Peoples are while attempting to protect and preserve their Palestinian sacred ground.

I could be wrong, but I think a campaign of pyromania undertaken on American soil by the Palestinians would more likely anger rather than engender sympathy in the average American who gets his information from the MSM and likely doesn’t know enough or care enough about the plight of the indigenous population of geographic Palestine at the hands of Jewish supremacists (Zionists) and their oppressive, (war) criminal and religion-supremacist “Jewish State” construct to appreciate the fires as anything other than terrorism (or as it’s known these days, “terrrrrr”).

Meron Rapoport. MIddle East Eye Nov.26. 2016. has a sensible report on the blame attached to Palestinians for the forest fires in Israel around that time. This sort of talk is bound to get a further lease of life in rumour and fear-mongering. I’m sure that there is no significant Palestinian group adding credence to these rumours by making systematic threats of terrorism against trees. which would indeed be pretty damn stupid.

After reading all the replies and the name calling …. I am rather hesitant to reply in case I may appear to be encouraging such actions by Palestinian supporters or with voicing support for terrorism. I want to make it quite clear that I am only commenting as a discussion point only.

However; I will respond this final time in regards to the views expressed here by comments made by readers..

I agree that Americans would be totally angry. Totally!

Do yuh think that Americans could be any more angry than the Palestinians are at this moment in history?

But what could the Americans actually do about it but to relent and negotiate.

It would be impossible for the Americans to ignore.

I guess America could choose some nuclear option against Palestine, but there are far too many Palestinian supporters who might react and act upon the threat with the use of violence in reaction to the threat.

calm, i am very curious where you read this. do you speak hebrew or arabic or was it published in english? would you be able to check your computer’s history and find the link? this is radically inflammatory news. not something that would be easy to cover up once it was published.

if it was published anywhere (which i doubt) especially anywhere reputable (which i doubt even more) i would be inclined to think it was a rumor initiated by zionists. and if it were to happen (horrendous) i would not hesitate to call it a false flag, a reflection of how desperate some cadre of zionists are feeling about their continued loss of legitimacy amongst the general public here.

NEW – 79% of Republicans and 27% of Democrats sympathize more with Israel than the Palestinians in Middle East dispute. Widest partisan gap dating back 4 decades. (link: http://pewrsr.ch/2DAJ66W) pewrsr.ch/2DAJ66W

Meanwhile the increasingly delusional Emperor Yahoo has issued a blunt warning on behalf of Zioland to all those two bit European countries who supported and continue to support the Iran deal. Russia and China beware your turn will come next.

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